Improvement in hydrants



2 Sheets-Sheet L J. N SVHTH.

Hydrant.

Patented .luly 9,1872.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

LN. SMITH.

Hydrant.

No. 28,763. Patentedjuly 9.18712.

' ngz.

this valve at thetop,

UNITED J NOTTINGHAM SMITH, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO f THEJ. NOTTINGHAM SMITH MANUFACTURING COMPANY.77

uwPRovi-:t'lENT` IN HVDRANTS.

" specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,763, dated July9, 1872. l f

. SPECIFICATION. To all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that I, J. NOTTINGHAM SMITH, of Jersey City, in the countyof Hudson Vand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hydrants 5 and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear and exact description thereof, reference being had ,to theaccompanying drawing, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon. Y

The object of my invention is to produce a hydrant which will neitherallow the water to run to waste nr to freeze up so as to stop the iiowof water` during ordinary cold weather 5 and which will, at the sametime, be durable, simple in construction, and therefore notliable toeasily get out of order, and cheap enough to come within the means ofall householders and others likely to require its services. For thispurpose my said invention consists of an inlet or supply-tube, which issecured to the lower end of a box or casing, and sunk below the surfaceof the ground a sufficient distance to protect it from freezing. Thissupply-tube, projecting upward into the bottom part of nthe said casing, in the form of a well or curb, to prevent the Vsurface drainings andleakage from coming in contact with the operative parts of the hydrant,is furnished with an opening on which rests an annular or `cylindricalvalve. The outerv portion of this valve is formed of India rubber, whichpermits the valve to be depressed to cause the water to flow. Thevalveseat is cup-shaped, with the opening downward, its edge or annularrilnfurnishing the bearing-surface or seat for the valve. Upon the outersurface or edge of or upon a flange projecting from the body of thevalve, a plunger rests, packing of India rubber, leather, or othersuitable substance being interposed to make a water-joint. This plungerserves to depress the valve, and permits, thereby, the water to Ilowupward through the said plunger to be discharged at the nozzle or spout.The plunger is placed in a casing, which is filled with charcoal, orother good non-conducting material, and an India-rubber 'tube is`interposedv between the vertical part of the plunger and the nozzle, toprevent the freezing of the water. An air-space is left between thecasin g lirst mentioned and that inclosing the plunger for the. samepurpose. The plunger is depressed byl means of -a cam-lever. The valveis held central by a stationary bolt, against which projections on itsinner surface bear, and a filter or strainer of wire cloth or othersuitable material surrounds the said bolt and rests against the saidprojections, all of which will more fully and clearly appear onreference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Y Figure 1 is avertical central section of the hydrant passing through the axes of thenozzle and cam-lever fulcrum, as well'as that of the supply-pipe.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal crosssection on the line x a', Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa top view, in detail, of the valve, and a well in which it is placed. Ais the supply-pipe, which is to be connected to the main or other sourceof supply by any suitable means. It extends into the bottom of thecasing B, Where it is expanded into a well or large tubularportion, C,which prevents the 4surface drainage, and the leakage, if any there be,from coming in contact with the valve D, which rests on the bottom ofthe well C, and closes the opening E, through which the water passes upinto the valve D, and Iprevents it from passing into the well C. Thevalve D consists of a cylindrical portion, a, made preferably ofcast-iron, and having an outwardlyprojecting ilange, b, formed upon itnear the top, and a small, an- .nular flange, c, projecting upwardaround the top edge ot' the opening orhole which passes through itscenter. Upon this cylindrical portion or core a an India-rubber pipe ortube, d, is fitted, its lower end restin g upon the edge .of the openingE, and its upper end receiving' and supporting the ilange b. Upon thetop oi' the ilange b a piece of leather 0r India-rubber packing isplaced, which forms the active bearing surface of the valve D. Thevalveseat F is cup shaped, opening downward, and has its lower edgeturned off smooth and true if necessary to secure perfect contact. Thisvalve-seat is screwed upon the top of a stationary rod or bolt, G, whichis cast into or otherwise firmly secured to the casting at the bottom ofthe opening E, passing through the openin g in the center of the valveD. In this opening small projecting arms e are projected inwardly fromthe valve D, and bear against thebolt G, thus securely holding the valvein a central position, at the same time allowing it to freely rise andfall. Below these arms c and supported by them, is a perforated,reticulated, or fibrous strainer, f, which prevents any foreign matterfrom passing into the opening g in the valve-seat F, and thence to thedischarge end of the pipe H. H is a pipe or plunger, enlarged at thelower end and encircling the valve D at h an inwardly-proj ectingshoulder or ledge, i, resting upon the packing j, and making awater-tight joint. The upper V end of the pipe or plunger H is incasedin a box, I, which is filled with charcoal to prevent the water in thepipe from freezing. Sawdust, or other good non-conducting substance maybe employed, but I prefer charcoal. The nozzle J is or may be cast inone piece with the pipe H, and immediately back of the discharge end ofthe nozzle or horizontal portion J the bore is enlarged sufficiently toreceive a piece of India-rubber tubing, K, the enlarged bore beingcarried quite through the back wall of the pipe H, to admit more readilythe insertion ofthe rubber, and aplug, L, is then screwed, driven, orotherwise secured in the open end, as shown in Fig. l. The inner casin gI is slotted down one side to receive the casting which forms the nozzleJ, ange-like projections being formed upon it which fit upon the innersurface of the casing and in the slot itself. A plate, M, preferably ofwood, is then slipped on over the tubular portion l of the nozzle J andscrewed to the casing I, thus firmly securing all the interior movableparts together. Upon the top of the casing I' a cover or top plate, N,is screwed. This cover is large enough to cover the outer casing B, adownwardly-projecting rim, m, overlapping the upper edge of the casing Band preventing the free circulation or communication between the outerair and that inclosed in the space between the casings B and I. This isa feature of great value, as I secure thereby an annular spacesurrounding the casing I, of air, which aids materially in preventingthe water in the pipe H from freezing. A portion of the casting whichforms the horizontal tube and nozzle J is projected upward, filling,except at the bottom, the slot in the casing B, through which the nozzleJ is introduced into its place, and also extending outwardly around saidslot and over it in close contact with the outer surface of the casingB, thus keeping the cold air from entering the space between the twocasings. From the rim, m, a pin, n, projects and enters a cam-groove orslot in the head or upper end of the pendulum-lever O, which is hung onthe bolt o as a fulcrum. By swinging this pendulum-lever to either side,the groove into which the pin n enters is so formed as to press down thecover N, and with it the casing I, pipe or plunger H, and valve D, therubber tube or collar d yielding to permit the descent of the valve.This action opens the valve and permits the water to pass up between thepacking J and the valve-seat F into the tube H, and thence out at thenozzle or discharge-end J. Upon releasing the lever O the weight P, atits lower end, causes it to descend, thus allowing the rubber d toexpand, closing the valve and shutting oif the water. It will thus beseen that the hydrant closes automatically, is cheap, durable, unwasting, and not liable t0 freeze in any ordinarily-cold weather.

To render the casings B and I more durable, I dip them, after they arecompleted, in hot pitch, to which I add about one-eighth, in bulk, ofdry mineral or earthy matter, whereby a much thicker and denser coatingof the wood is obtained, and, at the same time, its power of penetrationis not diminished.

The downwardly-proj ecting portion h of the pipe or tube H, it will beobserved, encircles the India rubber d and fits snugly over it, making awater-tight joint and preventing the water which may be in the opening gfrom escaping into the Well C when the shoulder 11 is' lifted off fromthe packing 7'. It also supports the upper edge of the rubber andprevents its spreading. The plunger and all the parts attached theretomay readily be withdrawn for cleaning or repairs. B and S areair-chambers, B being for the purpose of insuring the delivery of thewater from the nozzle J and S being for the purpose of forming a cushionto prevent the shock or blow which would otherwise the lower portions ofthe hydrant by the sudden cutting off of the water at the valve.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claiml. In a non-wastin gselfclosing hydrant, constructed substantially as described, the casin gI, inclosing the discharge-pipe or plunger H, which has a verticalmovement to open and close the valve D, (the 'said casing I being packedwith any suitable non-conducting material,) in combination with theouter casing B, and the inclosed air-space between the said case B andthe case I, substantially as and for the purpose hereinabove set forth.

2. In a hydrant, constructed substantially as described, thecombination, with the valve D and arms e, of the strainer f, arrangedbelow the said arms and supported by them, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hydrant, constructed substantially as described, thecombination, with the valve D and the stationary rod or bolt G, of theinwardly-projecting arms e, for centering the said valve D,substantially as hereinabove specified.

4. In a hydrant, constructed substantially be communicated to y as setforth, the downwardly-projecting por- 6. In a hydrant, constructedsubstantially tion h of the tube H encircling and inclosing asdescribed, the combination, with the plungthe end of the India-rubbertube d to prevent er H, valve D, and casing B, of the self-acting itsspreading and to form a Water-tight joint, pendulum-lever O,substantially as set forth.

y substantially as specified. J. NOTTINGHAM SMITH.

5. In a hydrant, constructed substantially Y as described, thecombination with the nozzle- Witnesses.: casting J, casing B, and casingI, the locking- H. J AMES WESTON, plate M, substantially as described. ID. W. HENDERsoN.`

